Principal Software Engineer

Posted 2 Days Ago
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Chicago, IL
Hybrid
Expert/Leader
Fintech • Software • Financial Services
Avant champions every customer on their financial journey and moves financial lives forward.
The Role
The Principal Software Engineer will lead the design and implementation of data and microservice architecture, provide technical guidance to multiple development teams, define architectural strategies, and drive software development best practices while fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
Summary Generated by Built In

Principal Software Engineer (75% Hands-on Development)

We seek a Principal Software Engineer to drive critical systems' architecture, design, and development. This role supports a legacy Ruby on Rails application and involves building new services with Python. You'll work with Kafka for event streaming, PostgreSQL for data management, and GitHub Actions for CI/CD pipelines. Our software is deployed in AWS within Kubernetes clusters. This position offers a high level of responsibility in technical decision-making while remaining deeply involved in hands-on coding.

What You’ll Do:

  • Architect & Design Systems: Lead the architecture and design of new services, ensuring scalability, performance, and maintainability.

  • Develop Software Solutions: Write, review, and optimize code using Python, Ruby, and other relevant technologies.

  • Drive Technical Excellence: Establish and enforce engineering best practices across projects.

  • Event-Driven Systems: Design and develop event-streaming solutions using Kafka.

  • Database Management: Optimize PostgreSQL schemas and queries for performance and reliability.

  • Cross-functional collaboration: Work closely with product owners, engineering managers, and other stakeholders to align technical solutions with business needs.

  • Mentorship & Guidance: Mentor engineers across teams, providing technical leadership and support.

  • Agile Participation: Participate in Agile ceremonies and help refine backlogs with engineering managers and product owners.

  • Review & Document Architecture: Create and maintain architecture documentation, including RFCs and technical roadmaps.

  • Performance Optimization: Identify bottlenecks in systems and recommend architectural improvements.

  • CI/CD Ownership: Implement and maintain CI/CD workflows with GitHub Actions for efficient deployments.

  • Cloud & Containerization Expertise: Build, deploy, and maintain applications in AWS and Kubernetes environments.

  • Monitor & Improve Systems: Use DORA metrics to track performance and drive continuous improvements.

Why You’re a Fit:

  • Education: BS/MS in Computer Science, related field, or comparable experience.


  • Technical Expertise:

    • 8+ years of experience in software development, including architecture and design.

    • Strong experience with Ruby on Rails and Python.

    • Knowledge of Kafka for event-driven architecture and PostgreSQL for data storage.

    • Proficiency in CI/CD tools (e.g., GitHub Actions).

    • Hands-on experience with cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, or Azure) and container orchestration (Kubernetes).

    • Familiarity with front-end frameworks like React, Angular, or Vue is a plus.


  • Leadership & Collaboration:

    • Experience mentoring engineers and leading technical initiatives.

    • Proven ability to drive technical excellence across multiple teams.

    • Strong problem-solving skills and ability to balance technical and business trade-offs.


  • Agile & Process Knowledge:

    • Comfortable participating in Agile/Scrum ceremonies and contributing to backlog refinement.

    • Familiar with DORA metrics and their impact on software performance and team productivity.

Check out our Avant Blog!

We believe that a diverse set of backgrounds and experiences helps us create the most innovative solutions for our customers. We invite you to apply to our positions even if you do not meet 100% of the qualifications listed in the description. If you’re passionate about our mission and aligned to our values, we hope you’ll come contribute to our awesome culture.

Why Avant is the place for you:

At Avant, we believe our values make a difference:

Authenticity. We show up to work as our whole selves and make sure others can too.

Collaboration. We can only succeed when we do so as a team.

Problem-Solving. The harder the problem, the more satisfying the solution.

Customer. We are all owners of the customer experience.

Initiative. Plan. Adapt. Get Sh!t Done.

We believe that great ideas come from anyone and anywhere, that everyone is an owner who drives change, and that we have more fun when we work together. We're problem solvers who love collaborating with intelligent and highly-motivated people to reshape the face of digital banking. Avant offers terrific perks and benefits, fun social events with employees who actually like hanging out together, and a flexible growth environment where trying your hand at new projects and being the active owner of your career path is encouraged and supported.

Some of our benefits include:

  • Choice of great Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance Plan options

  • 401(k) Match

  • Unlimited Paid Time Off

  • Flexible Work Environment

  • Generous Paid Parental Leave

  • Lunch Allowance (Fooda) and In-office Snacks

  • WFH Stipends for our Remote Employees

  • Access to LinkedIn Learning for Professional Development

  • No Meeting Wednesdays - (a.k.a. planned time to Get Sh!t Done)

  • Summer Fridays

  • Fun In-Office and Virtual Social Events

  • And who doesn’t love the swag

This position may require you to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. If required, you'll be asked to provide proof that you’re fully vaccinated upon your start date or before working in or visiting our Chicago office. You’re considered fully vaccinated two weeks after you receive the second dose of a two-dose vaccine series (e.g., Pfizer or Moderna) or two weeks after a single-dose vaccine (e.g., Johnson & Johnson/Janssen). Failure to provide proof of vaccination may result in termination. Subject to applicable law and requests for accommodation.

Top Skills

C#
Java
Python

What the Team is Saying

Margaret
Dave
Sharity
Pritam
The Company
Chicago, IL
250 Employees
Hybrid Workplace
Year Founded: 2012

What We Do

Avant provides its customers access to the financial tools they need to move their financial lives forward. The financial marketplace is changing every day, and Americans recognize that financial companies can and should be delivering better, smarter products. We’re disrupting the marketplace and connecting middle income consumers to the financial products they deserve. We make our products with our customers in mind at every step of the process. We’re about being seamless and speedy, bringing our customers mobile-first experiences that are surprisingly simple and delightfully easy.

Over the years, Avant has continued to streamline the online borrowing process. Backed by some of the most well-regarded investors in the fintech space, it has helped more than 2 million people get the funding they deserve. Avant remains committed to its founding vision to create new solutions that help move financial lives forward. Every day, our growing team helps more people across the country pursue their financial goals.

To move our customers' financial lives forward, it takes an inclusive culture where every employee feels like they can make a valuable contribution, as well as a commitment to investing in the communities where we live and work. Our social impact mission to "Put People First" is the foundation that informs all facets of our teamwork model and our business strategy.

Why Work With Us

At Avant we believe that ideas are more important than titles, everything is more fun together, everyone drives change, and everyone is an owner. Nothing excites us more than having the ability to collaborate with intelligent, highly-motivated and talented people on challenging problems as we work to change the face of digital banking.

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Avant Offices

Hybrid Workspace

Employees engage in a combination of remote and on-site work.

Typical time on-site: 3 days a week
Chicago, IL

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